First Impressions of First Real Ride!

[DaniBoy]

So this isn’t a “help me” post, so I couldn’t really search for much lol. Other than a short test drive (my first time on 3 wheels) in 35 degree weather, today was the first day that I actually got to take that sassy girl out on a serious ride. WOW! I’m truly impressed and still have a lot to learn, as my past 50 years have been on two wheels. After a stroke-like incident just over a year ago, I only got just a few two wheel rides in last summer, and I was not comfortable on any of them, especially the ONE ride with my wife on the back. Never again, which sucks for both of us. But my discovery of the Spyder is a major game changer! I’ve found that it’s WAAAAAY different than two wheels! I actually felt very comfortable riding again! 75 miles at everything from city to highway to country back roads. I really appreciate forums like this, and prior to my maiden voyage, I completed BajaRon’s canisterectomy, foam crank breather, plugs and wires, and K&N air filter. THANK YOU, Ron!! You’ve been more than patient with me! Things I learned today while riding: Lean your body into the curve, instead of trying to keep your body upright as on two wheels. The SE5 upshifts MUCH smoother and quieter if done over 3000 RPM’s. The mirrors give an excellent view of my elbows (even though I can fully see the left lane for vehicles thay may want to pass me, I have to pull my arms in to see directly behind me.) 3rd gear maximum in the city. Let the Spyder do its own downshifting when slowing. There is no hand brake. You don’t have to instinctively reach for a non-existent clutch lever. Perhaps the most important thing I learned today, is that I still have a lot to learn!

Again, thank you to every one of you that has answered questions and gotten my blood pumping! I now proudly carry a case of Spyderitis!

P.S. please go easy on me, Peter. ��

[Woodaddict]

congrats on a longer ride, just NOT riding back home after purchase. You have been asking alot of questions, AND that is WHAT you need to do after buying first time Spyder. Got to learn the quickest way to understand these things. This 2010 might be a temporary ride, if you can look at, or ride the 1330 engine, you would like the lower RPM's, smoother ride, quieter ride of this engine.

So did you check the oil after the ride, best and easiest time to do it?

[ARtraveler]

And the good thing...it will only get better.

[rhino1]

Congrats! U will like it even more after every ride. Enjoy and b SAFE!

[gkamer]

The mirrors give an excellent view of my elbows (even though I can fully see the left lane for vehicles thay may want to pass me, I have to pull my arms in to see directly behind me.)

I know what you mean. I usually have to just lift my shoulder up in order to see behind me. I've been thinking out getting the over sized Can Am mirrors to see how they work.

[Peter Aawen]

Great Post Dani! Good Thread Title too, clearly states the reason for the thread. And it sounds like you learnt a lot and had a pretty good ride to boot!

But seeing as you invited me to comment I'll just throw my Ozzie Motorcycle Rider Trainer hat on & highlight a point or two about what you said in your post -

Firstly: even if it's got 3 wheels, it's still a 'Motorbike' & you should be looking around & continually turning your head at least a little bit to maintain your situational & all-round awareness, so unless things are very different over there, your mirrors aren't really meant to let you see what's immediately behind you, not like the centre/windscreen mirror in a car is! They are rather meant to let you see the lanes behind your rear quarters & everything behind that, so you don't unknowingly zip into the next lane immediately in front of a speeding 18 wheeler just cos you didn't throw a look over your shoulder before moving! You should be adjusting your mirrors so that you juuuust see the outer edges of your elbows &/or a tiny sliver of the top of your rear panniers in the inner/lower corner of each mirror - if you see more elbow &/or pannier than that, your mirrors are probably adjusted too far in!! If you really need to know what is immediately behind you, you'll need to get a high-mount centre/windscreen mirror like in your cage; wide angle mirrors; or maybe a 'continually-on reversing camera' with a monitor on the top of the dash.... or failing any/all that, you could always move your head around a bit (in that continual scan thing you're doing re all round awareness ) in order for you to see anything immediately behind you in your mirrors anyway!

Secondly: that 'auto-downshift' thing is handy - for when you forget or you're just winding down to a stop at the traffic lights etc; but really, it was designed and intended to be a 'fail-safe' feature to prevent you putting too much torque thru the 'semi-auto' clutch &/or the higher gears while you're riding what is essentially a MANUAL gearbox with a centrifugal clutch & a sexy 'quick-shift' electro-solenoid gear shift arrangement! The SE gearboxes on these things are the very same gearbox as the SM's - regardless of them being an SE or an SM, Spyders run a MANUAL gearbox with a choice of hand-operated clutch/foot lever gear selection in the SM5/6's; or a centrifugal clutch (SE5's)/auto-hydraulic clutch (SE6's) and electro-hydraulic 'quick-shift' gear selection enacted via the +/- flappy paddles under your left thumb & forefinger! So you really should treat it like any other manual gearbox and initiate your own downshift selections as & when appropriate; safe in the knowledge that the 'quick-shift' computers won't let you get it drastically wrong and if you forget to change down as you slow or otherwise crack it wide open when in too high of a gear for the torque/road speed, you can do that knowing that the 'quick-shift' computer has got your back & will pick up your slack when you forget/save your arse & your clutch/gearbox when you get it wrong!


But it is your bike, and at least in my opinion, it's got one of the zippier, pepper, & more exciting to ride hi-revving 998 cc motors in it, so any riding you do is likely to be a blast as well as great wind therapy!

And as always, we all should Ride More, Worry Less!

Just Sayin'

[DaniBoy]

congrats on a longer ride, just NOT riding back home after purchase. You have been asking alot of questions, AND that is WHAT you need to do after buying first time Spyder. Got to learn the quickest way to understand these things. This 2010 might be a temporary ride, if you can look at, or ride the 1330 engine, you would like the lower RPM's, smoother ride, quieter ride of this engine.

So did you check the oil after the ride, best and easiest time to do it?

As a matter of fact, I did check the oil! And it was exactly at the full mark. Just for kicks, I checked it again after about a minute, and it was 3/4. I’ve had no experience with a dry sump motor before. Never even knew they existed! But I’m totally ok with it